Are you juggling between work from home and other distractions? You cook while replying to urgent emails. You get your kids glued to the tablet, feeling guilty about the increased screen time, but then want to have a work call in peace. Also, you would open your laptop after putting kids to bed because you have a deadline to meet! Yes, it’s all getting monotonous and tedious. And everyone has a similar story to tell. Whether you are an employee at one of the engineering staffing agencies, a teacher, or a developer, the struggle is the same. You are tired of working from home and feel like you are failing.
These long months of working from home format are taking a toll on our mental health. Those who haven’t previously worked remotely ever are the biggest victims. We can totally relate and have some effective advice to share. Take advantage!
Break Up the Work Day
The monotony of the day is the biggest challenge while working from home. The lack of stimulation and connection with people you used to see every day. Working at home, which is a place to relax and unwind too, doesn’t energize us. Instead, it can make things confusing.
Therefore, an effective practice would be breaking up your schedule. Now that you are home 24/7, don’t stick to the same routine every day. Communicate proactively with your team about the timings when your availability is mandatory.
Think out of the box because these challenging times require that. Discuss with your teammates and break your 8-hour workday into shifts of 4-hours or 2-hours. You can take advantage of the messaging apps such as Skype for Business to set your status to away or busy for your team members to know.
Stay Connected
The isolation factor can be very damaging for your mental health. Therefore, make a conscious effort to stay connected with your teammates as well as family and friends. Thankfully, there are several apps, which support video calling, audio calling, and texting. Some instances are Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp, and so on.
Text your F&F, whoever makes you feel better. Reach out to them more often. Due to social distancing restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we wouldn’t suggest meeting them. But as soon as the restrictions are lifted in your area, meet them and feel better.
Remember, the connection is the key!
Set a Routine and Then Stick to It
Yes, you no longer have to get ready and go to the office. But most probably, your work hours are the same. Creating and following a fixed routine is essential. And it becomes even more significant when the structure is missing.
By sticking to a routine, we don’t mean abiding by the old 9-5 shift. It simply implies that you should wake up on time, get ready, make yourself feel confident, and get your work done in a nice, timely manner. Create time slots for various tasks and try finishing them within them.
Following a routine frequently will make it feel more natural as time passes. You will follow the routine without having to give yourself reminders. Take breaks frequently for a 10-minute walk or doing something non-work related. It will keep you active and productive.
Manage Your Daily Information Intake
Since you are home, you can frequently check news channels and social media for your daily dose of news. In the given global pandemic situation, a constant barrage of news regarding the sharp rise in the number of infected individuals and an escalating death toll is only going to elevate your stress levels.
Yes, it is important to stay informed. But not at the expense of your mental health. You don’t essentially need to catch up on every breaking news snippet when it is stirring your anxiety. Unless your profession is media-centric! Then you don’t have a choice.
But for all others, watching half an hour of news every day would just suffice to know what’s going on. avoid constant reiterations of disturbing events. In these uncertain times, we are already prone to depression and anxiety so be watchful.
Add Various Wellness Activities to Your Routine
Working from home has its perks. You can incorporate certain healthy activities into your routine, which you cannot in an office. For instance, exercise and meditation. You can take a stroll in the neighborhood for 20 minutes to energize yourself and have a shift in consciousness.
Another way to unwind and experience new energy is to pause from work and find a quiet place for deep breathing. Take a deep breath in and focus on exhaling it out then. You will begin to notice that your shoulders are relaxed and you will feel lighter.
You don’t have to essentially stick to all these suggestions. Whichever form of exercise you like or prefer, take some time out to do it. Be it Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, or meditation. And do it every day.
Now that remote work is the new normal, we all must adapt. Whether you are working for an mfg staffing solutions company or a software house, adopting practices to adapt to it in a healthier and more productive way is the right thing to do. Both for our physical and mental wellbeing.
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